NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The SUNY Poly softball team wrapped up their spring trip on Thursday with two wins, improving their record to 2-6 in 2018. In the first game of the day, the Wildcats earned a thrilling 8-7 come from behind win over Cedar Crest College. In game two, the Wildcats trailed early, but a big inning in the bottom of the fifth gave the Wildcats just enough of a lead to earn the 6-5 win.
GAME 1:
SUNY Poly – 8
Cedar Crest – 7
The Wildcats sent Kylie Chesebro (Oneida, N.Y.) to the mound in the first game. Chesebro and the Wildcats fell behind 6-0 in the first four innings thanks to some solid clutch hitting by the Falcons. After going down in order in the top of the fifth, The Wildcats needed a big inning to get back in the game, and they got just that.
TURNING POINT:
Trailing by six in the top of the sixth inning, the Wildcats put together a big seven run inning to take their first lead of the game. Five hits, and two errors by the Falcons later, the Wildcats had plated seven runs to take the lead. Bailey Wood (Preston Hollow, N.Y.) was responsible for three of the runs in the inning. The freshman drove in two runs with a double down the right field and came in to score on a walk four batters later. Melissa Barber (Nassau, N.Y.) also drove in two runs on a double to left center field that scored Chesebro and Stephanie Smith (Utica, N.Y.). The Wildcats would tack on a very important insurance run on an RBI single by Taylor Hines (Mechanicsville, N.Y.) that locked in the win.
Kylie Chesebro earned the win in the game for the Wildcats. She threw seven innings, allowing seven runs on 12 hits and struck out three. Alexis Baxter was credited with the loss. Chesebro's season record on the mound is now 1-2.
STAT POINTS:
- Meissa Barber went 3-4 with a double, two RBIs, and a run scored in the game. Her average through eight games is .370.
- Bailey Wood had two hits in three plate appearances and drove in a pair of runs in the game.
- Bailee Haddad (Frankfort, N.Y.) went 2-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
GAME 2:
La Roche - 5
SUNY Poly - 6
The Wildcats trailed again in game two, going down three runs through four innings. La Roche (5-3) scored two in the third and two in the fourth to jump out to a 4-1 lead. Pitcher Celine Laracuente would lock in down the home stretch, keeping her team within striking distance.
TURNING POINT:
The Wildcats scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth on five hits to take a one run lead. Kali Maggiolino (Whitesboro, N.Y.) started the inning off with a single to left field. She stole second to get into scoring position and scored on a two RBI single by Bailee Haddad. Bailey Wood would give the Wildcats their first lead of the game with another two RBI single just one batter later. Celine Laracuente gave the Wildcats a much needed insurance run on a double to center field before a double play ended the inning.
La Roche threatened in the top of the second, bringing the game within one on a leadoff homerun, but pitcher Celine Laracuente got the final three outs of the game to earn her first win in 2018.
STAT POINTS:
- Bailey Wood had three RBIs in the game and went 2-3 with a double. She leads the Wildcats this season with six RBIs.
- Bailee Haddad had a pair of singles in the game, driving in two runs for the 'Cats.
- Courtney Morton went 2-4 in the game.
- Celine Laracuente went 1-3 in the game and hit her second double of the season to drive in her first run of 2018.
- Laracuente went seven innings for the Widlcats allowing four earned runs on 16 hits. She did not issue a walk in the game.
- Aubriatta Martin went 2-4 with two RBIs and a homerun for LaRoche.
- Kelsey Plato, Kelsey Bayer, and Athena Smith also had multi-hit games for La Roche. Plato went 2-4 with an RBI, Bayer went 2-4 with a double and an RBI, and Smith went 3-3 with a double and an RBI.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats wrap up their trip to North Myrtle Beach with a 2-6 record. The Wildcats will take a few weeks off before jumping into their North Eastern Athletic Conference schedule. They will play at Keuka on March 25th. The first game will start at 1:00 PM with a second game to follow.